Starving Penitent: Kyo's Tale
by Padfut-n-Prongs
Summary: 'm not to good at summaries, but here goes. Kyo and Yuki finally have a talk about Touru and something very unexpected occurs. Not slash, this event is of the magic kind. Its my first attemp at fanfiction, so be gentle, or at least tell me what you thi


This story popped into my head and I felt compelled to write it. Fruits Basket is a great anime! Though none of it belongs to me, oh well. It is my first attempt at fan fiction, so be gentle. I love to use commas so watch out. Comments would be appreciated. P.S. I also go off the impression that Kyo is way smarter than anyone is giving him credit for. (  
  
*XDOC  
  
Starving Penitent: Kyo's Tale  
  
As I slowly walk towards the thin figure leaning against the rail, I can feel thoughts flood my head. Like how the street is nearly deserted, how the lights of the passing cars are distant and muted, almost giving the impression of a world set apart from all others. In the dim light of the street lamp, my nemesis looked like a silver statue, tragic in its entirety.  
  
I can't help but become a little melodramatic. I've thought so long about whether to approach Yuki about our situation. Bold in my mind as well as my heart. Jeez, I'm making myself gag. I just want to get this over with. Loving the same person, who seems to adore us both equally is hard enough, but we might end up hurting Touru if I go about this the wrong way.  
  
Lately, Yuki and I have been bickering more than ever. Not physically fighting, but arguing over the tiniest infraction. It's scary in a way. Before, violence had always settled our differences. But with Touru here, we both have calmed down quite a bit. I've kind of been mulling over this new development for quite some time. As much of a surprise as that would come to others like Shigure and Yuki. When I argue with Yuki now, it's not because I want to beat him in a fight; I want to defeat the rival for Touru's affections. Something, in my mind, that has become infinitely more important.  
  
It was this realization that prompted me to finally try and lay aside my differences with Yuki. If we truly started to get along I know it would make Touru happy. Touru's cheerfulness means more to me than becoming a true member of the Souma family. Whether Yuki wants to lay aside his differences with me is another matter.  
  
I've always felt anger and bitterness tinged with a touch of nervousness when I'm around Yuki. I've despised him for so long that sometimes I thought there wasn't any other way to feel. Funny, I've had never even considered the remote possibility of having Yuki as a friend, until I met Touru. She has fundamentally changed my idea of what a friend should be. She's just that good of a person.  
  
I still can't believe someone actually likes me, and TOLD me so. I feel this warm glow whenever I'm around her. I'm not sure if she likes me in a romantic way, but hey, a guy can dream. The only person who ever seemed to really care about me before was my teacher. Whenever I got angry with him, I never thought much of it. After all, if sensei doesn't understand me, who does? But each time I make Touru the slightest bit upset I feel like I can't breath. As if a weight is pressing down on my chest and all that will bring relief is her forgiveness. I fell like a penitent, starving for her smile.  
  
I can feel myself blush, and I have to take a calming breath. What's riding on this little chat is more important than beating Yuki; I just have to keep reminding myself of that. It's taken almost a month to finally work up the courage to do this. After Touru saw my true form and accepted, really accepted, I found in my heart the courage to be as brave as she believes me to be. I honestly have no idea how Yuki is going to react to this little speech.  
  
As I finally reach Yuki, I can see that he hasn't noticed me yet. Its odd, usually the mouse is alert as, well, a cat. I start to feel that old, familiar hunger to defeat the mouse start to grow in the pit of my stomach. But no, I promised myself that I would hold my temper for Touru's sake.  
  
I walk up and see Yuki finally glance at me and away from the door of Touru's building. Yuki had been staring at the entrance for the entire time it took me to come over the bend in the road, complete my internal monologue, and approach him.  
  
"What do you want, Baka Neko?" Yuki growled, looking as disdainful of my presence as he was able. I took a deep breath, ignoring the barb, and started the speech I've been going over in my head for almost a week.  
  
"Yuki, I want you to listen to me and not interrupt for a minute, alright?" Yuki opened his mouth to say something but I put my hand up. "I'm not going to start an argument with you, I just want you to hear me out." I plunged ahead. "You and I both know that we are deeply in love with Honda-san. Neither of us can take our eyes off her. If we start a fight over her, she will feel as if it's her fault. All I want her to be is happy, and I know you do too. I just wanted to get my feelings out on the table. If we can talk this over like rational people, rather than fighting like a cat and mouse, maybe this situation could have a happy ending."  
  
I'm not sure if Yuki will ever realize what it is costing me to say this to him. I blamed him for all the pain in my life, and to speak like this to him, rationally, calmly, is almost killing me.  
  
I watched closely for Yuki's reaction. He seemed slightly stunned. That usual expression of haughtiness he wore whenever I'm around, dropped, leaving a somewhat detached-if forlorn, look in its place. Yuki stared at me for a moment, as if collecting his thoughts. When Yuki finally began speaking, I let out a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding.  
  
"I know I haven't exactly been the nicest of people towards you since we were children, and for that I am sorry." Yuki paused for an instant, and snapped his head to the side. "Did you feel that?" I took a look around as well, feeling a prickle on the back of my neck. I sensed magic of some kind, but I had never really felt anything like it before. Members of the Junishii could sense magic, but, as far as I know, only the kind we give off. "I felt something as well, but I can't tell if it has anything to do with us." I replied, shifting my weight into a fighting stance.  
  
"I am also not sure, and I have no idea what this strange magic could mean." Yuki mused, as he continued to scan the area. "For now we should remain cautious, especially when Touru arrives." I nodded, and caught Yuko's eyes, knowing this was one of the rare times when both of us are in total agreement. Then Yuki started to speak once again.  
  
"But now let me finish what I was going to say. As you were candid with me, I will return the favor. I feel like a fool, wishing for a treasure I can never have. Here you are, only thinking of Touru's happiness, when I am unable to see beyond the fact that I cannot hold her as I so desperately want to. You are right, if we fight over her we may destroy the happiness she has finally found after her mother's death. Each second I see her, the joy she brings is as the dawn brings the hope of a new day. We should resolve our differences, if only for her sake."  
  
I could tell Yuki was embarrassed. After all these years I think I can read Yuki's moods fairly well. I know Yuki rarely says so much at one time, or is this open, and I can tell the effort tired him.  
  
"Do you know when Touru gets off from work?" I asked, more to break the awkward silence that had descended than anything. "Yes, in about 15 minutes, I wanted to arrive here in case she was released early." Yuki replied.  
  
"So.... What should we talk about now, buddy?" I joked, trying to get a smile out of Yuki. There was no response. Damn, I really thought I had gotten through to him. What could he be thinking? I ground my teeth together, caught in a struggle to keep a hold on my temper. But then I glanced around. The magic we sensed before seemed to be gathering around us. I looked at Yuki, but the boy I had always called effeminate appeared indisposed.  
  
Yuki stood in the lamplight, an iridescent ghost carved from alabaster stone. It sounds corny, even in my head. He just seems so deep in contemplation, like he's weighing the pros and cons of what he's going to say. Suddenly, Yuki starts to whisper, as if his own words startled him.  
  
"I've always envied you, Kyo. The way you could fit in amongst everyone, seem to be a normal person. You draw people to you, like moths to a flame, because of who you are, the vibrancy of your personality. I treated you poorly because I couldn't stand that you were everything I was not, talkative, truthful, earnest. You speak with a genuineness to everyone you meet, and with you, they always know where they stand." Yuki took a steadying breath and looked me right in the eyes. He continued on, louder, with more confidence. "I apologize. I apologize for all the years I fought with you, for the countless times I disgraced you in front of everyone. For responding to your hurt with anger, your pain with more pain. And I apologize for the cruelest deception of all, for tricking you in the time before antiquity. I don't know if anyone who was ever possessed by the spirit of the mouse has ever truly been sorry for misleading the cat, but I am." Yuki bowed low, his eyes downcast. "I apologize."  
  
I was totally speechless, stunned by the depth of Yuki words. To discover Yuki feels the same way as I do is insane! Him jealous of me?! When all these years I had been jealous of him! I started to respond, to try and convey to Yuki the jumble he had sent my thoughts into .  
  
Ouch! It feels like a knife is stabbing into my chest! It was a savage pain, shredding my soul apart. What the hell is that! I felt the slowly collecting magic slam into me like a one of Momiji's hugs times a thousand. I dropped to my knees, seeing Yuki go down next to me, hearing the scream of Touru who had just exited the building. "Yuki-kun! Kyo! What's the matter?!" Touru wailed. "What should I do? Oh Kami-Sama, you both need to get to a doctor!"  
  
Touru whipped her head around, looking for a phone. Yuki and I continued to gasp in pain, holding our stomachs, finally falling to the ground, blind to the small crowd that was gathering around us. I had one coherent thought before the darkness could claim me.  
  
*What in the hell is going on!?  
  
*I hoped you liked the first part. ^.^ Can you guess what is going to happen? ( Coming soon is the exciting second part to the Starving Penitent story, Yuki's Tale. 


End file.
